Muskingum salvages split at Wilmington in OAC baseball

Published: April 20, 2004 8:00PM

WILMINGTON The Muskingum mens baseball team split a pair of Ohio Athletic Conference games at Wilmington on Tuesday evening. Wilmington held off a late Muskie rally to win 4-2 in the opener, but Muskingum rebounded to win the nightcap, 8-6.
In game two, Muskingum salvaged a split by fending off a late Wilmington rally. The Muskies took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second Andy Weiss delivered the big hit a two-run single to right center field. Bill Rockwell had an RBI single earlier in the inning.
Muskingum tacked on four more in the fourth before the Quakers finally got on the board with a pair in the bottom half of the inning. The Muskies increased their lead to 8-2, but a four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh made things interesting.
Reliever Greg McKenzie fanned Tyler Kelch with two on and two out to end the game. He had three Ks in relief. Ryan Petrasko (Meadowbrook) improved to 1-1, striking out one and walking six in the victory.
Rockwell paced Muskingum with three singles, three RBI and two runs scored. Greg King added a single, double and two runs; Weiss had two singles and two RBI; Todd Hoffert had two singles and a run; and Scott Ringhiser belted a three-run homer in the fourth.
Jamison George (2-2) took the loss. He fanned four and walked none in three and one-thirds innings. John Elsen fanned two in one and two-thirds innings of relief.
Brent Bird paced the Quakers attack with two singles and two RBI; and Troy Brege added a double, two RBI and a run.
In game one, Wilmington got a two-run homer from both Chad Abbott and Aaron Lawson to clinch the 4-0 victory.
Muskingum rallied back in the top of the seventh as Nate Prati, Weiss and Ronald Keener recorded three straight singles with two-outs. However, Quakers reliever Clayton Reynolds recorded the final out to help Wilmington slip past the Muskies (14-15, 3-9 OAC).
Burt Cox (5-1) recorded the win for Wilmington (14-9, 2-6 OAC). Cox had five strikeouts and one walk. Lawson and Abbott each hit a two-run homer; and Bird tallied a double.
Matt Hatfield (1-7) suffered the loss for the Muskies. Hatfield finished with two Ks and three walks. Weiss led Muskingum at the plate with a pair of singles.
NEXTThe Fighting Muskies entertain Washington & Jefferson on Thursday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.